Recent Reviews
Red, White, and Basil
Lee Blackwood (the Tasteful Traveler) : 2 on 6/9/2025 7:25 pm
Disappointing First Visit to Red, White & Basil:
We had high hopes for Red, White & Basil after hearing mixed reviews—so we went in with an open mind and a craving for good Italian. Unfortunately, our experience left much to be desired.
The ambiance is minimalist—stark, cold, and not at all cosy or inviting. Metal chairs and hard wooden benches give it more of a cafeteria vibe than a cozy Italian trattoria. Likely very noisy/echo-y when crowded as there's not a lot of upholstery/curtains to buffer/absorb. As I was seated on a hard bench, the host casually remarked, “There’s a pillow around here somewhere if you can find it.” Sure enough, there was one pillow—in the far corner across the room. Just one. For the entire room. And I had to get up and go retrieve it myself.
On a positive note, the cocktail menu was creative and the wine list had some nice options. Our server Rob was friendly, attentive, and definitely the highlight of the evening.
We ordered a selection of appetizers and entrees to get a good sense of the menu. Sadly, the execution just wasn’t there.
Fried Calamari: Def overcooked, with the 2 tentacle pieces brownish black. A refrigerator-cold and verrry oily lemon half accompanied it. Oddly, it was served with a sweet Thai chili sauce instead of classic marinara—a confusing miss for an Italian restaurant.
Clams Oreganata ($13): Only three clams, and rather than using whole, fresh belly clams, with a topping, it appeared to be breadcrumbs/herbs mixed with canned minced clams.
Beet Salad: Nice combo, but on the dry side. The vinaigrette was on the beets, not the greens, so barely noticeable.
Lasagna: Described as made with bolognese, but good luck finding or tasting any meat. The tomato sauce tasted VERY acidic and looked of tomatoes/skins pulsed in the food processor. The dish was a cheesy, mushy bake topped with an overly thick/slick layer (3/4"+) of melted mozzarella.
Chicken Parm: The cutlet was also over-fried, with one end blackened in the frying. It came with fresh bucatini that was completely bland and tasteless—like it had never seen salted water.
Oddly, for a restaurant with "basil" in the name, there wasn’t a single menu item that celebrated it. (And it's definitely in season locally!) Not even the burrata—menu said served with fruit instead of the classic tomato & basil combo.
The Bottom Line: Our total for three apps, two entrees, one iced tea, and no alcohol or dessert came to over $91, not including tip. For that price, there are far better Italian dining experiences to be had in town.
We had high hopes for Red, White & Basil after hearing mixed reviews—so we went in with an open mind and a craving for good Italian. Unfortunately, our experience left much to be desired.
The ambiance is minimalist—stark, cold, and not at all cosy or inviting. Metal chairs and hard wooden benches give it more of a cafeteria vibe than a cozy Italian trattoria. Likely very noisy/echo-y when crowded as there's not a lot of upholstery/curtains to buffer/absorb. As I was seated on a hard bench, the host casually remarked, “There’s a pillow around here somewhere if you can find it.” Sure enough, there was one pillow—in the far corner across the room. Just one. For the entire room. And I had to get up and go retrieve it myself.
On a positive note, the cocktail menu was creative and the wine list had some nice options. Our server Rob was friendly, attentive, and definitely the highlight of the evening.
We ordered a selection of appetizers and entrees to get a good sense of the menu. Sadly, the execution just wasn’t there.
Fried Calamari: Def overcooked, with the 2 tentacle pieces brownish black. A refrigerator-cold and verrry oily lemon half accompanied it. Oddly, it was served with a sweet Thai chili sauce instead of classic marinara—a confusing miss for an Italian restaurant.
Clams Oreganata ($13): Only three clams, and rather than using whole, fresh belly clams, with a topping, it appeared to be breadcrumbs/herbs mixed with canned minced clams.
Beet Salad: Nice combo, but on the dry side. The vinaigrette was on the beets, not the greens, so barely noticeable.
Lasagna: Described as made with bolognese, but good luck finding or tasting any meat. The tomato sauce tasted VERY acidic and looked of tomatoes/skins pulsed in the food processor. The dish was a cheesy, mushy bake topped with an overly thick/slick layer (3/4"+) of melted mozzarella.
Chicken Parm: The cutlet was also over-fried, with one end blackened in the frying. It came with fresh bucatini that was completely bland and tasteless—like it had never seen salted water.
Oddly, for a restaurant with "basil" in the name, there wasn’t a single menu item that celebrated it. (And it's definitely in season locally!) Not even the burrata—menu said served with fruit instead of the classic tomato & basil combo.
The Bottom Line: Our total for three apps, two entrees, one iced tea, and no alcohol or dessert came to over $91, not including tip. For that price, there are far better Italian dining experiences to be had in town.
Lee Blackwood (the Tasteful Traveler)
1749497143
2
5
Red, White, and Basil
Morgan Baker : 4 on 12/28/2024 12:43 am
A wonderful italian restaurant. We were seated quickly on a Saturday night, plenty of space in the restaurant/patio. Our server Bronco was kind, helpful, and pleasant. The pasta was all homemade, and it tasted fresh! Everything tasted fresh and delicate. I would happily eat there again. The drinks were good as well.
Morgan Baker
1735346625
4
5
Red, White, and Basil
Patricia Sacks : 5 on 6/7/2025 1:46 am
The food was amazing. The lemon drop martini is to die for. Highly recommend.
Patricia Sacks
1749260819
5
5
Red, White, and Basil
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